What The Marketing Lab does

The Marketing Lab is a full-service marketing agency headquartered in Brisbane, Australia (49 Stevenson St), operating as a division of Volat Enterprises Pty Ltd (ABN 33 161 396 096). Founded in 2017, the agency specializes in franchise marketing and serves both franchisors and franchisees with integrated brand and performance marketing services. Its core offerings span strategic marketing planning, digital marketing (SEM, SEO, paid social), creative services (branding, design, animation, photography, film), media buying (OOH, radio, TV, cinema, press), content creation, web and app development, events and activation, and training programs. The company's distinguishing technology is its proprietary LAMP Tool, a custom-built online platform that converts local area marketing inputs into actionable Gantt-style 90-day plans at scale for franchise networks, paired with a proprietary 3-Step Local Area Marketing Pathway methodology (Local Opportunity Plan + 90-day plan + implementation support).

The business model is professional services revenue generated through retainer arrangements and project-based fees for specific deliverables, with no lock-in contracts and flexible engagement terms. The agency operates a consultative, sales-led go-to-market targeting franchise network head offices and individual franchisee operators, with growth described as driven almost entirely by client referrals. It currently supports 25+ franchise brands and 250+ franchisees monthly, manages over $1.1 million in digital ad spend, and has produced 4,000+ marketing plans and 500+ Local Opportunity Plans across its history. The firm is a Google Partner, Great Place to Work certified, and a member of the Franchise Council of Australia; named clients include Poolwerx (300+ territory LAM rollout delivered in 3 months), Nuflow, and Bump Health & Fitness.

Name

The Marketing Lab

Legal name

Volat Enterprises Pty Ltd

Website

https://themarketinglab.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Marketing Lab is a Brisbane-based full-service marketing agency specializing in franchise marketing, serving franchisors and franchisees with integrated brand, digital, creative, and local area marketing services across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Franchise Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing Technology, AdTech & MarTech Services (BPAFAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brand & Portfolio Strategy Consulting (MPAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Franchise marketing services
• Local area marketing
• Marketing agency
• Franchise recruitment marketing
• Brand marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ascot

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Marketing Services Retainers and Project Fees: The Marketing Lab operates as a professional services agency providing ongoing marketing support to franchise networks. Services include strategy, creative, digital, content, web, events, and training. The company offers flexible engagement without lock-in contracts, allowing clients to scale support up or down as needed. Revenue is generated through retainer arrangements and project-based fees for specific deliverables.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Marketing Lab is a full-service marketing agency specializing in franchise marketing, providing strategic planning, brand development, digital marketing, creative services, media buying, content production, web development, event activation, and training for franchisors and franchisees. The agency delivers end-to-end marketing solutions, including proprietary Local Opportunity Plans, 90-day marketing plans, and scalable local area marketing planning via its custom LAMP Tool, serving both franchise networks and individual franchise businesses.

Product overview

The Marketing Lab is a full-service franchise marketing agency that operates as a unified offering rather than a modular software platform. Their core service portfolio includes: (1) Strategic and tactical marketing planning via their Local Opportunity Plan and 90-Day Marketing Plan methodologies; (2) Proprietary LAMP Tool for scalable local area marketing planning; (3) Digital marketing services including Google Ads, social media advertising, email marketing, and SEO; (4) Creative services encompassing brand development, graphic design, and content creation; (5) Media services including out-of-home, radio, TV, cinema, press, and in-centre advertising; (6) Franchise recruitment marketing; (7) Web development and app development; (8) Event and activation services; and (9) Training and workshop programs. The agency serves both franchisors and franchisees within the same organization, providing seamless end-to-end marketing for franchise networks at scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Area Marketing (LAM) Services Full-service local area marketing support for franchise businesses, encompassing planning, execution, and optimization of marketing activities at the local level for franchisees and franchise networks.
• Local Opportunity Plan A customized blueprint identifying available marketing opportunities and activities in a specific franchise territory, including indicative pricing, designed to provide a practical roadmap for franchisees.
• 90-Day Marketing Plan A tactical planning tool outlining planned marketing campaigns, their start and end dates, and assigned budgets to ensure consistency and accountability over a 90-day period.
• LAMP Tool A custom-built online technology for Local Area Marketing Planning that captures core components of a solid local area marketing plan and outputs information into a Gantt-style calendar, enabling scalable 90-day plan creation at scale for large franchise networks with custom branding.
• Franchise Marketing Services Comprehensive marketing support for franchisors including strategic planning, national campaigns, franchise recruitment, and brand development aimed at connecting brand, franchisees, and shared customers.
• Franchise Recruitment Marketing Marketing services focused on attracting and converting quality franchise leads, including digital ads, automated email sequences, directory listings, and franchisee prospectus development.
• Digital Marketing Services Online marketing services including search engine marketing (SEM), Google Ads, social media advertising, email marketing and automation, and SEO for franchise networks and businesses.
• Creative Services Creative concept ideation, brand development, logo creation, tone of voice development, and brand style guide creation for franchise networks and businesses.
• Media Services Media buying and planning across out-of-home advertising, billboards, radio, TV, cinema, press, and in-centre advertising for franchise and business clients.
• Content Services Content creation and strategy services for marketing campaigns and franchise networks, including copy, editorial planning, and content calendars.
• Web Services Website development and management, including custom app development and digital touchpoint setup for franchise and business clients.
• Event Services Event planning and activation services, including sponsorship management and brand activation events for franchise and business clients.
• Training Services Marketing training for franchisees and marketing teams, including quarterly marketing forums and induction program support.
• Franchise Network Social Media Management National and local social media management across entire franchise networks, including content development, content calendars, and daily platform monitoring.
• Local Area Marketing Implementation End-to-end marketing implementation including designing, booking, and executing campaigns across traditional and digital channels for franchise networks and franchisees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bump Health & Fitness saw dramatic improvement in lead quality and quantity after implementing franchise recruitment strategy, leading to valuable conversations and territory sales
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Great Place to Work AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Marketing Lab is certified as a Great Place to Work, using this credential in their employer branding and marketing materials to attract talent and demonstrate company culture.
• Franchise Council of AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial member of FCA, Australia's peak body representing franchise businesses. Membership indicates industry alignment and networking opportunities within the franchise community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cummins&Partners: Australian independent creative and media agency. Comparable as a domestic full-service competitor offering creative, media, and digital services to brands across categories, competing for enterprise and growth-stage clients in Australia.
• BMF Advertising: Australian full-service creative and media agency. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same geography offering integrated advertising services that overlap with TML's full-service portfolio, though BMF serves a wider range of industries beyond franchise.
• The Core Agency: Australian independent full-service advertising agency. Comparable as a similarly sized independent agency offering brand strategy, creative, and integrated campaigns; competes for the same enterprise and SMB clients in the Australian market.
• DDB Australia: Global advertising network's Australian operation offering full-service brand, creative, and media services. Comparable as a large incumbent that can compete for franchise network RFPs leveraging global scale and resources that exceed TML's boutique capacity.
• Atomic 212°: Australian full-service media and marketing agency with strong digital and media buying capabilities. Comparable as a domestic competitor offering SEM, paid social, and integrated marketing that overlaps with TML's digital service line.
• Ogilvy Australia: Global network's Australian operation offering brand strategy, advertising, and integrated communications. Comparable as a broad incumbent with the scale and breadth to serve large franchise networks that TML's boutique team may struggle to support.
• Thinkerbell: Australian full-service agency combining measurable media, creative, and PR. Comparable as a domestic competitor offering similar integrated marketing services, with broader category coverage but no franchise-specific specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/themarketinglab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Marketing Lab